Double pole reversing snap switch



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. A. GGRN.

DOUBLE POLE REVERSING SNAP SWTGH.

.No 577,950. Patsnted Mar. 2, 1897;l

Suben/CQ@ @HM/mugs si ss; sssv WVM/momo t(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

' H. A. GORN.

DOUBLE POLE REVERSING SNAP SWITCH.

N0 577,950. Patented Mar. 2, 1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERMANN A. coRN, or NEW YORK, N. Y., AssicNoR To THE Oris BROTHERS a COMPANY, or sAME PLACE.

DOUBLE-POLE REVERSENG SNAP-SWl'l'Ci-l.

vSlIECIFICA'lION forming part of Letters Patent No.. 577,950, dated March 2, 1897.

Appl-roman filed Angus 6, 1894.

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMANN A. GORN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Double-Pole Reversing Snap-Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to cut-outs or switches for .electric circuits, and I have shown it as embodied in a double-pole reversing` snapswitch or cut-out, and the object of the invention is to improve the construction and arrangement of such switches in various ways, and especially to prevent the formation of an arc or arcs over the space or spaces between the terminals; and to these ends my invention consists in the various features of construction and arrangement and having the mode of operation substantially as hereinafter more particularly pointed out.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical section of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan in part section of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal transverse section. Fig. 4 is a plan View of one of the contact-pieces. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic representation showing the `principles of operation of the switch, and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of certain details.

It is Well known that in the use of electric currents, especially where the current is .of considerable potential and it has to be interrupted frequently, there is liable to be an arc or arcs formed between the terminals, which are not only disagreeable and dangerous, but are more or less destructive to the parts of the switch. Especially is this adisadvantage in the use of an electric circuit forpropellin g elevators and the like, where the switch is preferably located on the car of the elevator in the presence of or in proximity to the passengers, and while, of course, the principles of my inventionfmay be embodied in many and various forms of switches for diiferent purposes I have shown a double-pole reversy ing snap-switch adapted for elevator purposes, and have provided means whereby not only can the switch be readily and quickly operated for controlling the circuits connected with the motor operating the elevator,

but at the `same time I have provided means Serial No. 519,597- (No model.)

' which will prevent, to a great extent at least,

the formation of arcs, and thereby l am enabled to avoid the objections to the use of such switches or cut-outs in such or similar relations.

`With this general statement I will now proceed to describe more in detail the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

A represents a suitable case, which may be of any suitable material., as of metal, and forms a support for the operating parts of the switch, and this may be provided with a cover A', on which may be indicated the various positions of the switch,as Stop, Up, Dowm dac., as illustrated in Fig. 2. The frame Ais provided with a cross-piece A2 at its bottom, which may be formed with or attached to the body of the case, and there is another cross-piece A3 at the upper part of the case, which is preferably removable for the purposes of adjustment, it being shown as secured in notches or recesses in the body of the case by screws A4.

Arranged within the body of the case on opposite sides thereof are the insulating-blocks B B', to which the terminals and fixed contacts of the switch are secured in the manner hereinafter set forth, and while I have shown these as'separate blocks it will be understood, of course, that if the body of the case is made of insulating material these blocks may form part of said case; but in the present instance I have shown them separate for matters of convenience in construction and adjustment, and they may be secured in position by any suitable means, as screws B2. One of these blocks is shown in side view in Fig. 4.- with the terminals and contactpieces mounted thereon, in which C is one of the main terminals of the feeding-circuit, and is shown as connected to a block C', which is secured to the insulating-block B at its upper portion in the present instance and extends across the central portion of the block. The other block B is provided with a similar terminal D, connected to a corresponding block D', arranged opposite the block C', as shown in Fig. 2. These terminals C D are preferably the terminals connecting with the feeding-conductors or line-circuit, and mounted also on the IOO blocks or plates B B' are the terminals of the working circuit. Thus l have shown in Fig. 4i two terminals l] E, and the corresponding block B is provided with corresponding terminals E2 F13. The terminals l and la? may be connected, as shown in Fig. 5, by a conductor E4, having a branchF, leading to the 'translating device, while the terminals l and F3 may be similarly connected by a conductor Fl, having a branch F7, leading to the translating device. lt will thus be seen that the terminals of the working circuit are divided, one portion being placed on one of the blocks or plates B and the other on the block or plate B', and the current will iiow through the circuit, as hereinafter' set forth.

interposed between the terminals F E and the terminal C', as well as between the terminals F2 F3 and the terminal D, are a series ot contact-blocks F F F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7, there being two between each of the terminals E and the corresponding main terminal i) or l), as it may be, and while l have shown two it will be understood that any number may be used according to the nature of the current or otherwise. 'lhese blocks, as will be seen, are arranged in rows and are separated from eachother by some insulating material, as, for instance, the plates ll ot' isinglass or similar material, and these plates or sheets preterably extend slightly beyond the working surface ot the contacts to prevent arcin g. The" sides of the box, when made of metal, may be provided with sheets or plates of insulating material l', although, of course, if the body is made ot insulating material, these can be dispensedwith.

Mounted in the cross-pieces is a shaft l'l, the ends forming bearings in the cross-pieces, and. the central portion being insulated and -made in the present instance of two pieces lill H2, which are properly secured together and form a support for the connecting-contacts G. li/hile this shaft or carrier may be variously formed, l have i'ound it convenient to make it of a configuration substantially as indicated'in Fig. 3, so that the connectingcon taets may be securely held in position and be insulated from each other. These contacts Gr may be variously formed, but, as shown, they are composed ot conducting material preferably having more or less spring, and are formed ot plates bent on themselves to form loops or eyes g, having extensions or arms g,'the outer ends of which are curved, as at g2, to form the intermediate contact portions. Flach connecting-contact in the present instance is provided with four curved arms g2, making a ill-shaped connector or contact-piece, and they are so mounted, as shown in Fig. 1, that one of the arms, when turned to the proper position, will make contact with one of the terminals, and the other ot the arms on the same side will make contact with the next terminal, and thus bridge the space between the contacts. lhus it will be seen that the contact g2, when in proper position, will bear upon the terminal C', and the contact g3 will bear on the intermediate contact F, and the other connectingcontacts are arranged to connect the other intermediate blocks or one of those blocks with the other terminals, as will bc readily understood, and is best shown in Fig. 5. rFhese contact-terminals arc insulated from the shaft or carrier ll, if it is of conducting material, as by the interposition of insulating material l2, Fig. 3.

Some means should be shown for holding the shaft in its normal position, so that the connecting-contacts are out of contact with the terminals of the circuit, and while various means maybe used l have shown a recess A5, in the cross-piece ./iz,snppo1-ting a conical pin A, under pressure ot a spring A?, taking into a recess in the under portion ot' the shaft or carrier, thereby tending to hold it in its normal position, as shown in Fig. l. 'lhis pin is not absolutely necessary, as springs and cams, hereinafter described, will usually perform this function, but it is an additional safetyguard and is preferably used.

Some means must be provided for operating the switch by turning the lshaft or carrier in one or the other direction to complete the circuits, and l have shown the body ot' the shaft ll' as provided with studs or pins h, adapted to be engaged by the sleeve K, it being provided with flanges k, having spaces between their ends in which are located the pins, the spaces being larger than the pins, preferably to allow a certain amount of lost motion. The sleeve K is provided with notches lo at its upper edge, adapted to receive a similar notched edge of the handle L, which may be removable, or in the present instance is shown as secured to the shaft Il by a screw'h', which is outside the cover A. This handle is also provided with a flange or projection Z, which limits the movement of the handle, operating in connection with a lug or projection a on the cover ./i, and it will be seen that with this mechanism the shaft or carrier may be rotated within certain limits in either direction.

lt is well known that it is desirable that the contacts should beopened and closed quickly, and in order to accomplish this lprovide a ucam-shaped piece M, which may be formed with or secured to the sleeve K, and in the present instance it is provided with four re-ly cesses m, one on each side, in which engage the springs .bl N', which in the present instance are secured tothe cross-piece A3 by screws n orotherwise. lt will be seen that this cam is so shaped that when the shaft is rotated the springs will tend to retard the movement ot' the sleeve, but will be expanded as the sleeve moves until they are under considerable tension, and as they ride over the outer portionsot the cam the springs will tend to throw the shaft to its complete movement, making what is known as a snap or quick contact or break, which aids in pre- IOO IOS

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err/7,950 3 venting arcing, as is Well known. The Jform of the cams is such that the springs will reach their outer points and operate by their tension to revolve the cam and shaft just before the connecting-contacts reach the stationary terminals or blocks, and so that the springs will commence to act to revolve the cam and shaft just before the connectingcontacts have left the terminals and intermediate contact-blocks when the circuit is being broken, so that I get the full effect of the snap or quick make or break. The tapered pin entering the socket in the shaft will tend to prevent the shaft moving beyond its central position when the circuit is being broken; but to also aid in this purpose the cam is provided with additional projections m ontwo of its sides, against which the bent portion of the springs will impinge to further tend to stop the rotation of the shaft.

Such being the construction ot' the device, its operation will be understood and the advantages of the construction will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

lt will be seen that thc real terminals of the circuits are not connected in adirect line by the contacts, but by means of the intermediate contacts and the U-shaped connectingcontacts the current is caused to follow a zigzag course through the contacts, as shown in Fig. 5, and this of itself tends to a certain cxtent to reduce the arc. It will further ybe seen that instead of there being a single break in the circuit there are a number of breaks, there being six in the present instance, and if a current of a certain strength would ordinarily give an arc of one inch by there being six breaks in series the arc at each break would be one-sixth of an inch. Further, as each break oirers more or less resistance to the passage of the electric current the length of the arc will be still more lessened and be reduced to such an extent that there is practically no arc or spark, or such a small one as not to be injurious or dangerous, and by increasing the number of breaks by increasing the number of interposed blocks and conmeeting-conductors the arc can be reduced to a minimum, or practically prevented.

The circuit will be readily traced in the diagram Fig. 5, which supposes the shaft or carrier to be returned to the left toward, the Word Up 7 on the case, so that the connecting-contacts are in contact with the terminals Q E' and the intermediate contact-blocks F' Fson the one side and on the other with the terminals D E2 and the intermediate contactblocks F4 F6, and the current flows in the direction indicated by the full lines. When, however, the shaft is turned in the vopposite direction, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 5, other contacts are made; and the current flows as indicated in dotted lines.

When the translating device is a motor, the terminals E5 and E7 are respectively connected to the opposite terminals of the field-magnet coils or to the opposite brushes of the armature, and in the first instance the field-magnet coils of the motor of course are supplied from the main line with a current in a single direction, and in the second case the armature ot' the motor is supplied with acurrent of unvarying direction. in other Words, either the armature or the field-magnet coils of the motor are connected to the terminal E5 E7, whichever is used, forreversin g the motor. l have not shown the motor orits detailed connections, as they are well understood, and it is well known that the current in either the armature or field-magnets may be reversed. 'It will be seen that supposing the brushes of the armature of the motor are respectively connected to the terminals E5 E7 when` the parts are in the position shown in full lines in `Fig. 5 the current entering at C would pass through the contact C', the intermediate contacts l1" 113 to the terminal E', and through the intermediate U-shaped contacts g, connecting these contacts, and thence out at the terminal E7 in the direction of the full line through the armature or field-magnet coils of the motor, whichever it may be, back to the terminals E5 E2, intermediate contacts F4 E, contact D, and line D, these intermediate contacts and terminals being connected by the U shaped contacts g, as before. When the shaft is turned in the position indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 5, the current from C passes through the other set of intermediate contacts, through terminal E5 to the armature or fieldmagnet coils'of the motor, back through the terminals E7 E3, intermediate contacts F5, F7,

vD', and D, and the current thus ows'in the opposite direction through the armature-coils or field-magnets, as is clearly indicated by the dotted lines.

lt will thus be seen that my switch shows a simple and eitective embodiment of devices, forming an improved construction and arrangement of parts, and embodies as Well the advantages of the multiple break of the circuit, reducing the arc and otherwise preventing injurious arcing or sparking, and the whole forms a compact and substantial switch.

l. ln an electric switch, the combination with the vmain-line terminals, of the working terminals, intermediate insulated contacts between each main-line terminal and working terminal, and a rotating portion provided 'with connecting-contacts arranged to complete the circuit between each main-line terminal and working terminal through the in` termediate contacts, thereby including the intermediate contacts in the circuit on each side or" the working termina-ls, substantially as described.

2. In a reversing-switch, the combination with the main-line terminals, of the two divided working terminals, two rows of intermediate insulated contacts between each mainline terminal and the corresponding working IOO ITO

terminal,and a rotating portion provided with connecting-contacts arranged to complete the circuit between the main-line terminals, the intermediate insulated contacts and one of the divided working terminals on each side of the Working terminals according to the direction in which it is turned, substantially as described.

3. ln a reversing-switch, the combination with the oppositely-arranged plates carrying the circuit-terminals and intermediate contact-blocks, of a rotating shaft carrying connecting-contacts, means for operatingthe shaft manually, and automatic means for completing the movement of the shaft, substan- `tially as described.

4. ln a reversing-switch, the combination ywith the oppositely-arranged circuit-termi nals, of a rotating shaft between the terminais carrying connecting-contacts, a sleeve loosely connected to said shaft, a cam connectcd to the sleeve, and springs operating on the cam, vsubstantially as described.

5. ln a reversing-switch, the combination with the oppositely-arranged circuit-terminals, of a revolving shaft carrying connecting-contacts, a sleeve mounted on the shaft andengagingpinsprojectingtherefrom,acam connected to the sleeve, springs engaging the cam, and a handle for engaging the sleeve, substantially as described.

6. In a reversing-switch, the combination with the circuit-terminals, of a shaft having at one end a locking device, and having at the other end a sleeve loosely engaging the shaft and provided with a cam, substantially as described.

7. ln a reversing-switch, a shaft carrying the connecting-contacts, the shaft being coinposed of two parts embracing the contacts between them, the contacts being insulated from the parts, substantially as described.

8. ln a switch, a shaft carrying connecting contacts, the shaft being made in two parts, in combination with the connecting-contacts in the form of plates supported by and between the parts and insulated therefrom, substantially as described.

9. ln a switch, the combination with the oppositely arranged plates supporting the circuit-terminals, of a rotating shaft carrying the connectingcontacts and arranged between the plates, a handle connected to the shaft and having a projection, and a stop or projection mounted on the case to limit the movement of the handle, substantially as described.

lO. ln a switch, the combination with the inclosin g case, of the oppositely-arranged removable plates supporting circuit-terminals and intermediate contact-blocks, and insulating material interposed between the contactblocks, substantially as described.

ln testimony whereof ll have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERMANN A. GORN.

Witnesses:

W. Jl. MORGAN, SAMUEL BURGER. 

